American Notes POLITICS

After ten months of being feted in six cities, the 57 members of the Democratic Party site-selection committee finally announced last week that Atlanta will be host to the 1988 Democratic National Convention. The city that Democratic Chairman Paul Kirk called the "hub, heart and capital of the South" offered the party $15 million in public and private funds as bait. The ^ choice also reflects the Democrats' renewed efforts to appeal to Southern voters, who unseated five Republican Senators last fall and who will play an important role in 1988 with a first-ever regional presidential primary.

The decision was a blow to runner-up Houston, which was desperate for the $50 million that the convention would pump into its depressed economy. Although Houston's planned new convention center will have a greater capacity than Atlanta's 17,000-seat Omni Arena, Kirk was worried that the new facility might not be ready in time. Democrats were also unperturbed by the Texans' arguments that an Atlanta convention will inevitably feature an appearance by former President Jimmy Carter. Since Iranscam, chortled one party insider, "Ronald Reagan is doing a great job of making Carter look good."